The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) Ebonyi state chapter, Tuesday, called on the federal government to solve the problems in universities for quick resumption.
This was as the union joined its counterparts in the federation to protest the close down of the tertiary institutions in the country.
State chairman of Nigeria Labor Congress, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor, while addressing journalists during the protest at Pa Ngele Oruta township stadium, said the federal government negligence has led to the close down of universities for over 5 months and therefore asked for urgent intervention.
He said, “We are protesting to canvas, to speak out that the federal government should as a matter of urgency look into the problems in our universities, our children have been at home for 5 months plus as a result of government negligence and we continue to demand that our government should meet with the workers of the university on their demands.”
Chairmen of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Ogugua Egwu and his Ebonyi State University counterpart, Emma Chibita, said the union would not back down on the industrial action until the federal government honours their demands.
Ogugua Egwu said, “I thank the Nigeria labor congress for this show of love, I thank our brethren in the struggle for this uncommon solidarity, I thank everyone for coming out en mass to support the glory of the university and we believe that this day will send a message to our leaders that education is the key, that they must open our universities for our children to come back and gather knowledge.
“We shall not back down until the government does the needful, we shall not back down on the 2009 renegotiate agreement is signed and implemented, we shall not back down until IPPIS is reborn, and we shall not back down until UTAS is deployed and implemented in our universities.”
